Adjustable foot-bandage.



A. E. MATTLER.

ADJUSTABLE FOOT BANDAGE. APPLIGATION FILED SEPT.26,1912.

1,050,482, Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH bu WASHINGTON, u. c.

ALICE E. MATTLER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE FOOT-BANDAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Jan. 14, .1913.

Application filed. September 28, 1912. Serial No. 722,463.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALICE E. MATTLER, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and a resident of Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Adjustable F Oct-Bandage, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for holding the metatarsal bones of the human foot in position, and its object is to provide an adjustable bandage which will conform to the natural shape of the foot but which can be so laced up that lateral movement of the small bones of the foot is prevented.

This invention consists in a body portion of yieldable fabric adapted to conform to the shape of the foot, reinforced by means of inextensible straps or tapes, preferably of woven fabric, together with laces or ties by means of which the bandage can be tightly secured in position.

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 are right and left elevations of a foot with this improved adjustable bandage in position. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the foot. Fig. 4 is a top plan of the same. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of a bandage designed for simply that part of the foot beyond the arch. Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the manner in which a bandage may be constructed to not only cover the foot, but also the calf of the leg. Fig. 7 is a view on a larger scale showing the manner in which the bandage is constructed.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Bunions are usuallycaused by the pressure of the shoe on soft portions of the foot which are pressed out of their normal position by one or more of the small bones, usually metatarsal bones, which have become displaced through accident or improper pressure. The result is very painful and continues until the bone is replaced and held in proper position. In many cases where the arch of the foot has broken, the part of the foot between the roots of the toes spreads laterally, resulting in painful calli and corns.

I have found that by the use of a proper adjustable bandage which will hold all the bones of the foot in natural position, bunions and calli can be obviated. I have further found that such bandages must be carefully adjusted to the foot, that the bandage itself must fit the footwith great exactitude, and that it must be so constructed that it will not stretch to permit any displacement of the small bones which are held in natural position thereby. I have found that the bandage, to produce the best results, should be made of three pieces, the two sides and a tongue, and be of porous, woven fabric, canvas preferred, which will adapt itself to the contour of the foot. I

have further found that strongly woven tapes of linen, silk or cotton should be socured to the canvas at such positions that they will be in the lines where the stresses resulting from walking are greatest, and especially where the liability of the small bones to move must be restrained.

Referring to the drawings, the parts 1 and 2 of the body of the bandage are joined along the bottom and back of the foot, as shown in Fig. 7, and the seam is preferably covered by a central, longitudinal tape 8, such as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 Extending transversely of and connecting to the tape 3 are other tapes t secured to the parts 1 and 2, while reinforcing bands 5 and 6 extend along the front edges of the parts 1 and 2 and are provided with eyelets to receive the laces 9. As shown in Fig. 7, the part 1 extends beyond the reinforcement 6 and forms the tongue 7 which lies along the top of the foot and the front of the ankle beneath the laces 9. Diagonal tapes 8 are preferably employed to prevent the material forming the parts 1 and 2 stretching outward at the heel. As will be seen in Fig. 4, the laces are preferably drawn directly and alternately across the foot as this arrangement seems to have less irritating effect on the skin.

hen this adjustable bandage is applied to a foot having a bunion, it is often necessary to employ a pad 10 having a hole so that all pressure over the tender portion of the foot may be entirely obviated. The manner of securing the pad in place is indicated in Fig. 4-.. After the necessary pads 10 have been positioned, the bandage is placed around the foot and the laces 9 tightened until all the bones are securely held in natural position. The result is that the stretched ligaments regain the normal strength; and in time become strong enough to hold the bones in proper, natural position, when the bandage becomes unnecessary. Because of belng made of porous material,

perspiation can pass freely through the same and extreme discomfort is thereby avoided.

Vfhile the bandage shown in Figs. 1, 2 and is to be preferred, it may sometimes become net ary or desirable to use merely a short section passing around the metatarsal bones only, as shown in Fig. 5. The transverse tapes 12 are connected by means of the longitudinal tape 13 along the center of the foot, to the bandage 17, while pads 1st and 15 may be employed in coi'inection with this bandage as before described. In Fig. (5, a bandage 16 is shown COVGl'lIlg not only the foot but also a large portion of the alf of the leg. This type is desirable where a long bandage is required for the calf and a bandage for the foot is also necessary, the two being joined in order that multiplicity of details and extra thicknesses may be a voided.

The bandages will be designed to meet the different conditions encountered, and modified so that they can be fitted to the various forms of feet to be treated.

I claim.

1. An adjustable foot-bandage consisting of a body of woven fabric which will adjust itself to the foot which body is reinforced by inextensible tapes of woven fabric on tending around the foot wnen the bandage is in position, and ties to secure it to the foot.

2. An adjustable foot-bandage consisting of two sides joined along the bottom and back of the foot, and there reinforced by a centrally extending tape, lHBXt-QllSllJlQ transverse tapes extending from the central tape to the edges of the bandage and laces to secure the bandage to the foot.

An adjustable footbandage consisting of two sides of extensible fabric joined along the bottom and back of the foot, .inextensible tapes extending around the foot and secured to the body of the bandage, reinforcing strips extending along the front edges of the bandage and PL'OYldOt'l with eyelets, and laces extending between the edges through the eyelets, one of said sides having an extension forming a tongue lying between the laces and the foot.

ln testimony whereof 1 have signed. this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALICE TD. laljiff"; l illlt. iVitnesses EDWARD N. Paonnsnn, Huoo W. Tr

JAREIN BIKING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, 1] 0. 

